A manifesto for Hackney’s community gardens and green spaces

July 17, 2018

Saturday 28 July, 3-5pm

Local garden-based social enterprise, Cordwainers Grow, has joined with the Dalston Curve Garden and Daubeney Community Gardens to put together a manifesto for action to help protect Hackney’s community gardens and green spaces.

The Manifesto will be launched here at the Garden, on Saturday 28July, when we invite you to join us to celebrate the joys of community gardens, share your own thoughts and ideas and add your signature to the manifesto. You will also be able to create some delicious mixes at a special pop-up Hackney Herbal Tea bar.

We aim to join forces with as many local community gardeners as possible to lobby Hackney Council to designate all community gardens as protected local green spaces. We also plan to lobby the Greater London Authority to incorporate Hackney’s community gardens into a protected and supported network of green spaces as part of the London National Park City.

Kate Poland of Cordwainers Grow explains:

‘Hackney’s community gardens are a huge asset for the whole community. They have been shown to improve people’s physical and mental health. They provide informal and safe places for outdoor learning and playing. They reduce social isolation by bringing people together as well as improving the environment through providing habitats and food for wildlife.

Unfortunately, these gardens are increasingly under threat of development because of the enormous pressure to build more housing. New housing is crucial but with the increase in density of building, we believe community gardens are a solution to the challenges of our growing population, providing much needed shared space for people to meet, work and enjoy time together. We need to protect these green spaces for the future wellbeing of all Hackney’s residents.’